¹¹ For ^(A)everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

¹⁶ These are grumblers, malcontents, ^(A)following their own sinful desires; ^(B)they are loud-mouthed boasters, ^(C)showing favoritism to gain advantage.

¹² These are hidden reefs^{[a] (A)}at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, ^(B)shepherds feeding themselves; ^(C)waterless clouds, ^(D)swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, ^(E)uprooted; ^13 (F)wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of ^(G)their own shame; ^(H)wandering stars, ^(I)for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

¹⁵ Forsaking the right way, ^(A)they have gone astray. They have followed ^(B)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(C)gain from wrongdoing, ¹⁶ but was rebuked for his own transgression; ^(D)a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

^17 (E)These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. ^(F)For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ For, ^(G)speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely ^(H)escaping from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them ^(I)freedom, ^(J)but they themselves are slaves^[a] of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

^31 (A)The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, ^(B)he who is blessed forever, ^(C)knows that I am not lying.

¹³ For such men are ^(A)false apostles, ^(B)deceitful workmen, ^(C)disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as ^(D)an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as ^(E)servants of righteousness. ^(F)Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle

¹⁶ I repeat, ^(G)let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. ¹⁷ What I am saying ^(H)with this boastful confidence, ^(I)I say not as the Lord would^[a] but as a fool. ¹⁸ Since ^(J)many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.

¹⁰ “Two men ^(A)went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee, ^(B)standing by himself, prayed^{[a] (C)}thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ^12 (D)I fast twice a week; ^(E)I give tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, ^(F)standing far off, ^(G)would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but ^(H)beat his breast, saying, ‘God, ^(I)be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For ^(J)everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”